The Weekly Florists' Review. 



Septembeb 10, 1907. 



tAne. However, on insisting upon thiit 

 course as a proper business one, I subse- 

 quently succeeded in extending our 

 C. O. D. list, and in reducing the max- 

 imum credit to thirty days from the end 

 of each month. This maximum has since 

 been decreased to the fifteenth day of 

 the month following for payment of each 

 month's account, and our C. O. D. list 

 now is larger than our ledger account. 

 We have also gone so far as to make it 

 a riile with our customers that if a draft 

 for July account, for instance, is not 



I have covered all the ground in this 

 crude paper, the first I have ever at- 

 tempted. The running of a greenhouse 

 concern is not an easy task, by any 

 means. It requires us to be hard at it, 

 and always at it. In fact, during the 

 seven years that I Have had the manage- 

 ment of this business I have worked 

 harder than during the fourteen years 

 preceding. I have not even been able to 

 take time to visit more than a few of 

 our customers, and believe this is a dis- 

 advantage. One's trade customers ought 



Delphinium Chiaensis Alba. 



l)aid on August 15, all shipments must 

 cease until the amount is liquidated. 



Long Credits Disastrotis. 



I believe, gentlemen, that it is in the 

 interests of our trade customers, as well 

 as to our own advantage, to insist upon 

 such prompt payment. If the coal dealer 

 gives long credit to the grower, and the 

 grower gives long credit to the trade 

 customer, and the customer gives longer 

 credit still to his patrons, it brings a 

 long chain of misfortunes to every one 

 concerned. 



We ask no more than we give. Every- 

 thing we buy is paid for in cash, and in 

 no other way could we possibly run our 

 business and give our customers proper 

 value. Our losses during seven years of 

 business have not amounted to one-half 

 of one per cent of our output, and in- 

 deed we find our margin of profit so 

 small that we could not afford to do 

 business at the prices we charge on any 

 fither basis. Many of our customers^ at 

 first not greatly pleased at limited credit, 

 liave since told us that we did not gain 

 as much as they by their being compelled 

 to limit their own local credit, and 

 tliereby reducing their losses. We be- 

 lieve that no grower is doing' his trade 

 customer a kindness in extending a credit 

 beyond the month following delivery of 

 goods. Indeed, some of our very best 

 customers, and best off financially, will 

 not have goods other than on a C. O. D. 

 basis, some others insisting upon paying 

 each week, finding that they will attend 

 to their own collections better when these 

 payments have to be made. The express- 

 man, telegraph man, telephone man, etc., 

 cuU monthly — why not the florist? 



Acquaintance With Customers. 



I do not pretend to say or think that 



to be personally known to the grower, 

 but in an endeavor to build up a large 

 business, which now includes about 750,- 

 000 square feet of glass and is nearly 

 five times as large as it was when Mr. 

 Dale was unfortunately taken away, 

 seven years ago, I have found it neces- 

 sary to devote to the business every pos- 

 sible moment of time, and all my ener- 

 gies, without much relaxation. 



In connecti(?ir with this paper I have 

 not knowingly withheld anything that 



seemed important, and hope that some- 

 thing said, while not new, may stir us 

 up to better efforts and greater success. 

 We do not know it all. There is much 

 to learn all the time, and when we think 

 that we have arrived at perfection it is 

 about time for Tis to quit. There is 

 something new and something better ob- 

 tainable all along, the line of our pro- 

 duction. With eyes open, minds concen- 

 trated and energies unflagging, we can 

 yet produce varieties finer than those yet 

 known. We must not be too slow in 

 discarding what has become out-of-date 

 and tiresome to the public, and replac- 

 ing it with something that appeals to 

 ever varying demands. 



Ours is a noble calling. Let us look 

 and act as if wo realized it. The clergy- 

 man and physician minister to the sick, 

 and so do we, in some instances with 

 greater success. Our mission extends to 

 the sorrowing on one hand, and to joy 

 in every phase on the other hand. In 

 short, we are partners with nature in en- 

 deavoring to make life bright and enjoy- 

 able by assisting in the production of 

 what is most beautiful and fragrant. 

 TTie very atmosphere and loveliness of 

 our greenhouses ought to spur us on to 

 efforts that shall not only enrich us to 

 a moderate degree, but shall make for us 

 a good name, which is rather to be 

 chosen than great riches. 



PAINT FOR INSIDE WORK. 



What is the best white paint for inside 

 iron work in greenhouses? Will ordinary 

 white lead and oil do as well as a graph- 

 ite paint? H. F. C. 



Having used many grades of white 

 paint for inside work, both on iron and 

 wood, I have always found the best that 

 I could buy was none too good. Good 

 white paint will keep the iron in good 

 shape and, if attended to every two 

 years, will suit the case just as well as 

 graphite. By consulting the pages of 

 the Review you will find paint suited 

 for greenhouse work advertised nearly 

 every week. Don't hesitate over a few 

 cents' difference in cost; get the best 

 there is. RiBES. 



Gladiolus Nanus Mathilda. 



